By James Essex

Entering the 18th season, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will reach another milestone with more than $6 million in cash — an increase of over $1 million from 2021 — being awarded to teams throughout 2022.

Brownstown Speedway will host three Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events in 2022 — the Indiana Icebreaker on March 19, Night Before the Jackson 100 on Sept. 23 and Jackson 100 on Sept. 24.

This 2022 schedule includes 65 A-Main events at 34 different venues in 18 states. Teams on this year’s tour will be racing for more than $4.8 million in A-Main purse money alone, continuing to set the bar higher year after year.

In addition to the generous number of high-paying events in 2022, next year’s Lucas Oil National champion will receive a monumental $150,000. Second place in the championship standings will earn $75,000, while third place garners $50,000. The year-end points fund for the top 12 in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will total more than $500,000 in 2022.

In all, there will be $4,841,020 in A-Main purse money, a total of $390,600 handed out in Winners Circle funds over the course of the season to the top-12 teams with perfect attendance, $530,000 awarded at the year-end banquet for championship points, another $83,500 in money at the banquet for various awards and point categories, $93,750 in nonqualifier purse money throughout the year, $129,800 in B-Main purse money and an additional $23,000 for the Wrisco Winternationals and Sunoco Road to Wheatland point funds.

An unprecedented number of $20,000 or more to win events are on the series schedule this season, 17 in total with 11 paying $50,000 or more — up from three in 2021.

Beginning earlier in the season than ever before, the long list of $20,000-plus A-Main events begins March 12 with The Tennessean at 411 Motor Speedway. Due to persistent rains during the 2021 Hillbilly Hundred weekend, the 53rd Hillbilly Hundred will be contested April 9, paying $30,000 to win.

The 30th annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 has increased from $30,000 to $50,000 to win in 2022 on May 28. The series has at least one $20,000 or more to win event on all but two scheduled weekends on the schedule for the remainder of the year after the Show-Me 100.

West Virginia Motor Speedway hosts the two-day Historic 100 with teams competing for $15,000 to win on June 3 and $50,000 to win on June 4. The following weekend is another $50,000 event, the Mountain Moonshine Classic Presented by Lazydays RV at Smoky Mountain Speedway.

Continuing the trend, Lernerville Speedway is home to the 16th annual Firecracker 100 presented by Big River Steel, also paying $50,000 to the winner, $20,000 more than in years past.

Muskingum County Speedway stepped up to the plate with the previous announcement of a $30,000 event on July 3, following three $3,000 preliminary events on Saturday.

The following weekend, Deer Creek Speedway joined suit with an increase in prize money to $50,000 for the main event of the NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50. I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Nebraska, is once again hosting the Imperial Tile Silver Dollar Nationals, paying $53,000 to win on July 23.

The increased 40th annual Sunoco North/South 100 at Florence Speedway will now pay $75,000 to win on Aug. 13, followed by Batesville Motor Speedway’s 30th annual COMP Cams Topless 100 presented by Nutrien Ag Solutions now paying $50,000 to win on Aug. 20.

The series will then travel over 1,000 miles to Port Royal Speedway. With a new format, The Rumble by the River will be a two-day program with two $5,000-to-win events Aug. 26, which will line up the Aug. 27 $50,000 finale.

On Sept. 4, Tyler County Speedway will host the 54th Hillbilly Hundred, paying $30,000 to win. The Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway will again pay $50,000 to win following two preliminary nights.

Brownstown Speedway’s 42nd annual Jackson 100 pays $20,000 to win the following weekend, as does the 34th annual Pittsburgher on Oct. 1 at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.

Since 2011, the series schedule has concluded with the Dirt Track World Championship, and 2022 is no exception. The 42nd annual event, paying $100,000 to win, will again be hosted by Portsmouth Raceway Park.

To learn more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, including a complete 2022 tour schedule, visit lucasdirt.com.

Brownstown releases 2022 schedule

Brownstown Speedway has released its 2022 race schedule. For up-to-date information, go to brownstownspeedway.com.

March 5: Open practice

March 12: Open practice

March 19: 25th annual Indiana Icebreaker, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $15,000 to win, plus Modifieds and Pure Stocks

March 26: Spring Meltdown

April 2: Brownstown Speedway Opening Points Night Pro Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Hornets, Crown Vics

April 9: Meet and Greet Night, Super Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Crown Vics, Hornets

April 16: Kids Night, Pro Late Models, Pure Stocks, Hornets, Crown Vics, MMSA Mini Sprints

April 23: Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets

April 27: Castrol FloRacing Night in America, Super Late Models $22,000 to win, plus Modifieds

April 30: Pro Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Crown Vics, Hornets

May 7: Super Stock Special Scott Patman Memorial, Super Stocks, Pro Late Models, Pure Stocks, Hornets, Crown Vics

May 14: 39th Hoosier Dirt Classic and Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets

May 21: Pro Late Models, Pure Stocks, Hornets, Crown Vics, MMSA Mini Sprints

May 28: Bobby Wilson Memorial, Super Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets, Crown Vics

June 4: Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Hornets

June 11: No racing

June 18: Pure Stock Special, Don Russ Memorial, Pure Stocks, Pro Late Models, Super Stocks, Hornets, Crown Vics

June 25: Super Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Hornets

July 2: Pro Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Hornets, Crown Vics

July 9: Eighth annual Born Free 40, Super Late Models $5,000 to win, plus Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Crown Vics

July 16: Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Hornets

July 23: No racing (set up for the Jackson County Fair)

July 28: Jackson County Fair Thursday Thunder

July 30: Jackson County Fair 10th annual Paul Crockett Memorial

Aug. 6: 18th Hall of Fame Classic, Super Late Models $10,000 to win, plus Modifieds, Super Stocks, Crown Vics

Aug. 13: No racing

Aug. 20: Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Hornets

Aug. 27: Heroes and Hornets Special, Hornets, Pro Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Crown Vics

Sept. 3: Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series, BOSS Non-Wing Sprint Cars, plus Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Pure Stocks, Hornets

Sept. 10: No racing

Sept. 17: Schaefer Photo and Custom Tees, Meet and Greet Night, Pro Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Hornets, Crown Vics

Sept. 23: Night Before the Jackson, 10th annual Bowman 50 for Pro Late Models, Pro Late Models,Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $10,000 to win, plus Modifieds

Sept. 24: 43rd annual Jackson 100, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $20,000 to win, plus Modifieds and Super Stocks

Oct. 1: Championship Night: Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Hornets

Oct. 6, 7, 8, 9: 27th annual Funfest